World War One Memorial

Te Arawa Soldiers Memorial in Government Gardens is being restored as part of the district’s World War I commemorations.

The memorial was unveiled on 28 February, 1927 by HRH The Duke of York, later King George VI, during a royal visit to New Zealand.

Over the years the memorial has deteriorated and elements of the structure have been vandalised.

The much needed restoration project began in 2014 when the Rotorua District WW1 Commemorations Committee convened to oversee events and projects which commemorated WWI.

The committee agreed to restoring Te Arawa Soldiers Memorial and researching and promoting its history to the community.

The New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute are also involved, and the decision has been made to replicate the eight original tekoteko and four “wheku form” tekoteko, which surround the memorial, in bronze.